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Dry fruits (raisins, dates, figs, etc.), are excellent fixes for the sweet tooth. Fruit juice should simply be off the table because it contains all the sugar and almost none of the fibre. packaged fruit juice is anathema to the healthy diet plan; it’s packed with extra sugar that can cause an insulin imbalance (which creates inflammation). If you bloat or get gassy after consuming fruit, you may need to look at a low FodMap diet (refer to FodMaps in Chapter V).

When To eat Fruits

• research isn’t enough to be conclusive, but traditional food science relies on observed findings.
• Many people who eat fruits after a meal have bloating or flatulence.
• The theory that fruits could ferment while waiting for the gastrointestinal tract to digest everything else that has been eaten with them has merit.
• best practice: Eat fruit by itself on an empty stomach or between meals. This is also a concept followed by ayurveda.

Go Nuts: Nuts (which include walnuts, almonds, pistachios, peanuts, cashews, pine nuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts and others) are good sources of fats, proteins and fibre. Most of the fat they contain is anti-inflammatory and heart-healthy. It’s a myth that nuts are high-cholesterol foods; they have zero cholesterol. Nut milks and butters can also provide a substitute for those who are intolerant to dairy. almond and other nut flour can be used instead of wheat as flour in bakery products.

Nuts score high on the satiety index and have a low glycaemic index, so they reduce food cravings and help control blood sugar levels—while providing essential nutrients. They are rich in vitamins and minerals that boost our immune system and are also value food for the brain. Walnuts, for example, look like a mini-brain, don’t they?

Seeds too punch well above their weight in goodness. Many seeds are rich in vitamins, minerals, fibre and flavonoids (which fight disease). They also contain the good fats that lower cholesterol (omega-3 fatty acids) and other antioxidants.



To be continued....